Battle of the Budget nines!

[KaceCoyote]

Alright I need a pistol to live in my toolbox(ie trunk) Heres what I have sofar. It needs to be under 200 bucks, magazine fed 9mm of some flavor.

Makarov 9x18
Hi-pointe 9mm

[DMF]

If you're willing to go up just a little bit in price you can get a brand new FN-HP/DA for a song.

A compact DA/SA is $300, and a DAO is $280.

If I was strapped for cash, I'd squeeze out the extra dollars, and go with one of those over your other choices.

Just my 2 cents. YMMV.

[Tomac]

Definitely the Makarov. It's inexpensive (but not cheap), all-steel, rugged, extremely reliable, accurate & parts/mags/ammo are cheap & plentiful. What's not to like? With the Silver Bear 115gr JHP @1,000fps you have low-end 9mm performance.
Tomac

[MaterDei]

Makarov.

On the other hand, a trunk is large enough for a cheap shotgun.

[JShirley]

If you can afford a Makarov or decent used .38, there's no good reason to even mention a Hi-point.

John

[Onmilo]

Don't forget Europen American Arms Witness pistol line.
A basic 9mm Witness can be bought brand new for as little as $300.00.
I consider these guns to be a bargain.

The Bersa/Firestorm pistols from Argentina are another excellent buy for the budget minded shooter who wants a smaller 9mm handgun.
These can often be found for well under $300.00 brand new.

[trickyasafox]

kel tecs are right around there. also cz-52's are well under, so far under you could get the 9mm barrel too and still be under 200. sigmas go for about that too i think. . .

[Red Tornado]

Trickasafox beat me to it, but the CZ-52 with a 9mm barrel should be under $200. That way, you get a bonus caliber to play with at the range. 7.62x25 is quite fun. OTOH, you might want the extra penetration power in your trunk.
RT

[TarpleyG]

I'd go for a used, hard-chromed, Kel-Tec p-11 myself. You should be able to find one for around that price.

Greg

[cookekdjr]

No Hi-points. EVER.
Get the Mak.

[cookekdjr]

If its going in your trunk, you might as well get a $200 shotgun.

[KaceCoyote]

its going in my toolbox, which lives in my trunk. Its an SUV which means clear glass over the trunk so somone strolling by can casually inspect its contents. Its not wide enough for my AK..so I doubt its gonna be wide enough for a 12gauge. Thus the pistola. Tell me biyt the CZ-52, how many rnds in the mag and where are the conversion kits?

[donkee]

Of the two, a Makarov. I would also think about spending another 40 or so dollars on an Arcus. It's a Browning HiPower clone and my nephew's seems to be a great little shooter. I'm thinking about one for myself.....

[JohnKSa]

Fun gun or self-defense?

Fun gun then the CZ with the conversion barrel is ok.

Self-defense then I'd go with a Mak. Sometimes the CZ 9mm conversions aren't as reliable as they are in the original caliber.

Check around on the used market. You can probably find something in your price range that will suit your needs if you aren't too picky about appearance. I recently passed up a great deal on a pistol at a pawn shop. It was perfectly functional but it was badly beaten up. Dings, scratches, just all beat to heck. Looked like someone had left it in a toolbox full of tools for several years without any protection.

[sm]

I know a few folks that use the P-11 for conditions such as this. After confirmation the gun and mags would run a minimum of 200 rds of WWB JHP ( the loads these all use) these are in lockable toolboxes, or under lock and key in horse trailers, boat houses, barns, sheds, tractors, work trucks and work sheds out back.

Using Car wax with Carnuba on the mags, some even the slides, others use RIG on slides and some use RIG ( light film) on internals. One does have the hard chrome.

Seem to hold up and work. Last one I used like this : you gotta know which hay bail the lock box is hidden and bolted to structure - but yep it worked after 3 months of being cold, damp, freezing temps during the winter-.all 4 mags fired without a hitch.

I still like the idea of a ugly Revo with a Park'd finish for this purpose more often if the truth was known.

Uncle Mike's holsters are a good idea to have handy too.

[Jim101]

I have had a Hi-Point 9mm for about a 1 1/2 yrs. with no problems and I shoot CCI Blazers. I bought it at a Gun Show for $98 (before tax). I mainly bought it for a truck gun, but have been shooting it at the Range just to see peoples faces when I tell them what brand of gun it is and then let them shoot it....They are surprised....

Jim

[Harry Paget Flashman]

I saw some new Jimenez Arms .380's and a 9mm in a local gun store. They were on the shelf but hadn't been priced yet. If I had been the only customer there I might have asked the price. They looked stout enough for a toolbox, to be used for some light hammering.

[larry starling]

Jesus I would get the mak! But might I suggest you try and find a Norinco Tokarev in 9mm! so some at local store for $185! I have shot a Russian tok and found it reliable and accuarate! Also there is a ad in the latest shotgun news offering original russian ones with holster and other goodies for $250.

[Snowdog]

You can always pick up a Star BM 9mm and let us know what you think.
SOG is selling them for $139, just a thought.

[gbran]

Accurate, big enough for range work, light and small enough for carry, accurate, goes bang every time and parts abound.

[Sunray]

"...Alright I need a pistol to live in my toolbox(ie trunk)..." What possible use could there be for any firearm that's out of your reach?

[denfoote]

its going in my toolbox, which lives in my trunk. Its an SUV which means clear glass over the trunk so somone strolling by can casually inspect its contents.

This brings up the question.
Do you really want to be responsible for arming a gangpunk??
Why are you leaving valuable property in your SUV, anyway??
During the NYC garbage strike about 20 years ago, people used to put their trash in a box, then wrap it up and put a bow on it, and leave it on the seat of their car.
Their trash would always get picked up!!!

Besides, anybody who would condem a Makarov to a trunk is just sick!!

If you are gunna arm a gangpunk, then, at least, give him a Hi-Point!!
Maybe it will KB when he tries to use it!!!

[cslinger]

38 Mak or 357 a ro revol v er.

The Makarov is a great choice but I think a good used Ruger Service or Speed six is as good if not a better option.

My two cents.

Chris

[akluvr]

Mak, Star 9mm, or Kel-tec (maybe). The Star would be my choice for what you're describing. The Mak's are just too cool to stuff in a tool box and the Kel-tec's are a crap shoot on quality. Haven't heard any complaints on the Star. Very inexpensive to shoot and own.

[KaceCoyote]

Why the need? My "workshop" where I've been teaching myself to weld is a cute little chunk've property out yonder. No Cell phone reception, not another soul for awhile. Seeing as I live in Missouri, I have to worry about Meth-labs when I head to more out've the way places that have any sort've road access.

I dont think I'll be able to get a Holster to fly really, I favor an old leather apron to keep myself from being burned and its got enough coverage on either side that holstering anything would be useless. Then I dont wanna just toss my poor CCW gun, that has to deal with me all day already in a toolbox (holstered of course) to slosh around and get scratched to heck. So, I get a beater pistol to live in a simple flap holster that I'll keep in the toolbox. Said toolbox is always at my side, and while still less than ideal its a convient solution to the problem.

Truth be told I'm probably being overly paranoid about this whole affair, but then again your only paranoid until your right. Anyway I've never seen another individual out yonder, but at times when the wind shifts I've gotten sweet scent in the air. Could be a clandestine still I suppose, but I dont care to deal with moonshiners anymore than meth-heads.